Schwartz emphasized that the main issue with Q-tips is that you really don’t need to clean wax out of your ears yourself, with a Q-tip or anything else—so why risk the potential complications ...

This guide shows you the most effective way to clean your ears without running the risk of damaging your hearing.

Q-tips, or cotton swabs, ... Khan NB, et al. (2017). Self-ear cleaning practices and the associated risk of ear injuries and ear-related symptoms in a group of university students.

And some experts say Q-tips and cotton swabs aren't a good method for cleaning your ears. These items may damage ear drums and leave more earwax than they remove.

That said, we know you’re cleaning your ears with Q-tips, even though everyone says you shouldn’t. “Everyone knows you’re not suppose to use them, and yet everyone does it,” Chang said.

While Q-tip buyers aren’t supposed to use them to clean their ears, one man says he used a whole box to clean his. And he did so unapologetically. In a video with over 2.3 million views ...

And some experts say Q-tips and cotton swabs aren't a good method for cleaning your ears. These items may damage ear drums and leave more earwax than they remove.

Putting a cotton swab in your ear is a terrible way to clean it, since the swab may remove a little bit of earwax but tends to shove the rest in deeper. But if you’ve a developed a q-tip habit ...

Use Q-tips to clean the inside of the earflap – not the ear canal – and remove earwax buildup or other discharge from your cat’s ears. Be very careful not to insert the Q-tip too far, or you ...

Most health care professionals advise against using Q-tips to clean the inner ear, as this can push wax farther in and cause injury. It's important to consider safer cleaning methods.

Most health care professionals advise against using Q-tips to clean the inner ear, as this can push wax farther in and cause injury. It's important to consider safer cleaning methods.